# Walk-in Humi Diary



## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

So after three years in our new house I am finally going to do it! Progress on the project will be posted here.

Step One: move all the stuff out of the area to be converted. Here are some pics after the cleanup:

Entry to the room.



Inside.



The area will be about 12' x 6.5' x 8' when finished.

Decided to use wallboard on the walls and ceiling. Measured everything up and will purchase supplies tomorrow!


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## O-Danger (Apr 26, 2008)

Good luck. You are one lucky man to have all that room:tu


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## Dinosaur Jr (Apr 25, 2008)

best of luck with the project. I look forward to seeing the progress. we all will live vicariously through you sir.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Here is some of the equipment being considered:

Humidifier, Trion 707U, comes with wall mounted humidistat and hookup for an in-line water supply. Fortunately there is a reverse osmosis unit right outside the door I can hook into:



Will be using a steel entry door, something similar to this one:


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## Mullet (Oct 22, 2007)

with a space that big how do you keep your sticks from getting moldy? At a B&M they have a certain amount of patronage that recycles the supply inside the humidor. At home, I would imagine that you'd have sticks sitting in there for literally YEARS with a humidor that size. On the other hand, if you don't crank up the humidity, how do you keep it humid ENOUGH?

This may be a dumb question, but it just seems like you'd have to purchase a very expensive system to accurately maintain the humidity level in your entire room within 3-4% at all times.


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## groogs (Oct 13, 2007)

That looks like a great project, I wish I was lucky enough to be building a walk in of my own. I hope it turns out great, and I can't wait to see more pics of your progress.:tu


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## Bruzee (May 24, 2008)

Best of luck bro!! I'm jealous. :dr


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## Tango (May 5, 2008)

Bruzee said:


> Best of luck bro!! I'm jealous. :dr


Nice project. Keep the pics coming!!


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## e22byrnes (Jun 30, 2008)

Before you know it, the whole basement will be a cigar lounge. The slope truly never ends. Awesome project, can't wait to see more.:tu


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## gwc4sc (Jan 11, 2008)

Lookin sweet man. I cannot wait to see her all done up.:tu

I am definitely gonna be following this one.


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## jjirons69 (Jul 15, 2007)

Dear Diary,

Today I fell face first!

The End






Do my skin tone look green to you guys???


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## Silound (May 22, 2007)

Mullet said:


> with a space that big how do you keep your sticks from getting moldy? At a B&M they have a certain amount of patronage that recycles the supply inside the humidor. At home, I would imagine that you'd have sticks sitting in there for literally YEARS with a humidor that size. On the other hand, if you don't crank up the humidity, how do you keep it humid ENOUGH?
> 
> This may be a dumb question, but it just seems like you'd have to purchase a very expensive system to accurately maintain the humidity level in your entire room within 3-4% at all times.


Typically, anything boxed that's not in tubes seems to be just fine, even in a just slightly too moist environment.

In any humidor, there are climate zones you need to learn the location of, and exploit. We keep our high risk sticks and expensive product in one end where the air is less humid because the AC vents is there and constantly blowing.

You would be surprised at how little customers make the difference though at a B&M. People buy things, yes, but for long term we have some boxes that are 4+ years old that have no mold issues (different brands and sticks no less). As with any well kept and well calibrated humidor, the mold won't be an issue unless it gets too hot and too moist.

I would recommend keeping the humidity lower though (63ish), since it seems to be best suited for a walk-in that doesn't get opened a lot. THAT is the true aspect of customers that never seems to be accounted for...the door is ALWAYS open.


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## rrplasencia (May 25, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> So after three years in our new house I am finally going to do it! Progress on the project will be posted here.
> 
> The area will be about 12' x 6.5' x 8' when finished.


Who is your wife and does she have sister that would let me have one too?:dr


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

This looks like a great size room to store some fine wines too.


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## Cadillac (Feb 28, 2007)

Have fun with your project, and thanks for sharing!


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## Bax (Sep 12, 2007)

This could be another great thread on the boards! :tu


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Mullet said:


> with a space that big how do you keep your sticks from getting moldy? At a B&M they have a certain amount of patronage that recycles the supply inside the humidor. At home, I would imagine that you'd have sticks sitting in there for literally YEARS with a humidor that size. On the other hand, if you don't crank up the humidity, how do you keep it humid ENOUGH?
> 
> This may be a dumb question, but it just seems like you'd have to purchase a very expensive system to accurately maintain the humidity level in your entire room within 3-4% at all times.


The Trion will keep the humidity constant without a problem. You can spend big dollars on a unit but this one is reliable from what I read and has been used in a number of walk-ins. It costs around $200. It's capacity far exceeds the size of the room. There should also be some air circulation in the room. One site recommended the door not be air tight so there is some air exchange. I will have to do some further research on this. Considering putting an air purifier in the room to keep the dust and any airborne junk out.



rrplasencia said:


> Who is your wife and does she have sister that would let me have one too?:dr


Unfortunately she is not a big cigar fan. However, she likes the idea of having a wine cellar / humidor since it is a good selling point for the house. But most of all this project keeps me out of her hair!


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## opus (Jun 21, 2005)

Nice project. Keep posting pics please.:tu


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## cryinlicks (Jan 3, 2007)

great thread, and i'm looking froward to seeing the progress. maybe after my daughters go off to school, i'll be able to think about doing this.


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## pearson (May 27, 2008)

Looks like a fun project, cant wait for more updates.


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## BamBam (Feb 24, 2008)

This is gonna be fun to watch. I would love a walk in cigar humi/wine cellar one day. Like to see how you put this whole thing together. Can't wait for the end product.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Thanks for all the positive encouragement! I am by no means a carpenter but have finished several basements so I have a little experience with this. Comments or suggestions are always welcomed.

Thanks!


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## benjamin (Jun 29, 2008)

the whole jungle is going to be living vicariously through you...keep us posted!


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## Cigarin-Martin (Jun 11, 2008)

Did you hear that??...... it was my jaw dropping to the floor!
Awesome, cant wait for more pics, hope it all goes ok.:tu


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Made the first purchase of materials today:

*ITEM AMT PRICE*
Studs 60 $121.20
Light can 4 $70.12
Wire Box 5 $5.45
Screws Box $7.70
Nails Box $2.84
Wire 100' $38.64

*TOTAL:* $245.95

Started framing. Will post some pictures tomorrow.


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## troutbreath (May 22, 2008)

I am so jealous. Jealous that you have that kind of space. Jealous that you have the skill to do something with it.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Here is the progress for the weekend.

This is my favorite tool!  A Remington 22 caliber nail gun. Love using this thing even though is scares the crap out of me! 



Three of the four walls have studs including the doorway. The reason for the space at the top is twofold. There are no 2 x 4's that will fit without cutting and needed room for the can lights and insulation so the size of the space using 96" studs worked out perfectly.



Learned a long time ago to use a good level whenever building something!



The doorway may be a slight problem. It measures 38" across and most of the prospective doors need a rough opening of 38.5". Will have to do some homework on that.



This is a shot from outside the room.



Another discovery made today, the ceiling is warm. This is below the entryway for the front door. Apparently the sun warms it up enough for the heat to come through. Will have to insulate the ceiling, no big deal. Never noticed this before, the room was always cool. But with the room closed off the extra heat may make a difference.


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## groogs (Oct 13, 2007)

That is looking good.


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## troutbreath (May 22, 2008)

Interesting on the door. It would be a shame to have your costs inflated for a custom-cut door, especially if you are only off by 1/2 inch.


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## Footbag (May 14, 2008)

I love using a Hilti gun! Bang!:tu


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## ronhoffman2 (Jun 8, 2008)

Looks good. I wish I had a basement.


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## Eternal Rider (Feb 27, 2006)

The door should not be a problem,they give you more than a 1/2 inch for shimming it sqare.


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## Marklar MM (Mar 31, 2008)

That is going to look great when it is finished.


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## Darrell (Aug 12, 2007)

ca21455 said:


> The doorway may be a slight problem. It measures 38" across and most of the prospective doors need a rough opening of 38.5". Will have to do some homework on that.


It seems to me it might be worth doing some homework before you go any further with the project, as it could cause you headache in the near future. If that was your initial plan, then please ignore me.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

troutbreath said:


> Interesting on the door. It would be a shame to have your costs inflated for a custom-cut door, especially if you are only off by 1/2 inch.





Eternal Rider said:


> The door should not be a problem,they give you more than a 1/2 inch for shimming it sqare.





Darrell said:


> It seems to me it might be worth doing some homework before you go any further with the project, as it could cause you headache in the near future. If that was your initial plan, then please ignore me.


I am going to measure the door at the store. I think Harland is correct about there being some leeway. At any rate the second option is a 32" door and a little more framing. Since the doorway is in cement, there is not much option on making it bigger. At any rate, Darrell is correct, have to solve this before the drywall goes up!


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> Another discovery made today, the ceiling is warm. This is below the entryway for the front door. Apparently the sun warms it up enough for the heat to come through. Will have to insulate the ceiling, no big deal. Never noticed this before, the room was always cool. But with the room closed off the extra heat may make a difference.


My father is a general contractor and because of our love of cigars we've had the opportunity to design and build two walk-ins and several cabinets/closets. We have also done several wine cellars, which share somewhat similar qualities. Creating a room for storing items that are temperature sensitive, or at least a room where you want a reasonably steady temperature, requires proper insulation. That means the ceilings and walls need to be insulated. Because this is your basement you need to pay special attention to the walls. Not sure if its in your plans already, but for the sake of 50-100 bucks, get proper insulation and vapor barrier. In some places this is actually required by 'code' - that's another issue.

As for drywall, I strongly urge you to consider using a moisture resistant drywall (typically used for bathrooms/bathtub areas). I assume you're lining the walls with Spanish cedar. Keep in mind traditional drywall will hold moisture just like the mahogany. It will pull moisture into the itself and expand. This is fine if the drywall is just painted, but if you've got cuts of mahogany on top, it can cause them to bow and crack if you haven't left expansion joints (trust me!!).

As not-so-mean Darrell commented, stop and really think about what you're doing. I know I get 'wood' every time I want to build something and rush right in (my home theater for example). Sometimes I even spend considerable time planning and still find I could have done something better, and sometimes missed things altogether. Once the drywall is up, you're limited in what you can do. Think long and hard about power receptacles, switches, fresh air vents (if any), auxiliary wiring for gauges, lighting, etc.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

DonnieW said:


> My father is a general contractor and because of our love of cigars we've had the opportunity to design and build two walk-ins and several cabinets/closets. We have also done several wine cellars, which share somewhat similar qualities. Creating a room for storing items that are temperature sensitive, or at least a room where you want a reasonably steady temperature, requires proper insulation. That means the ceilings and walls need to be insulated. Because this is your basement you need to pay special attention to the walls. Not sure if its in your plans already, but for the sake of 50-100 bucks, get proper insulation and vapor barrier. In some places this is actually required by 'code' - that's another issue.
> 
> As for drywall, I strongly urge you to consider using a moisture resistant drywall (typically used for bathrooms/bathtub areas). I assume you're lining the walls with Spanish cedar. Keep in mind traditional drywall will hold moisture just like the mahogany. It will pull moisture into the itself and expand. This is fine if the drywall is just painted, but if you've got cuts of mahogany on top, it can cause them to bow and crack if you haven't left expansion joints (trust me!!).
> 
> As not-so-mean Darrell commented, stop and really think about what you're doing. I know I get 'wood' every time I want to build something and rush right in (my home theater for example). Sometimes I even spend considerable time planning and still find I could have done something better, and sometimes missed things altogether. Once the drywall is up, you're limited in what you can do. Think long and hard about power receptacles, switches, fresh air vents (if any), auxiliary wiring for gauges, lighting, etc.


Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I was not going to use insulation since the room is all below grade and cement. I changed my mind on the ceiling since it was warm and would probably add heat to the room. The other walls were still cool. No code requirement for basement insulation do you think there is any benifit to adding insulation for cement walls?

I am still plotting out the electrical. Will probably add a lot more recepticals then needed to ensure there is power where needed. Will also have to get the controls for the humidifier installed.


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> ...do you think there is any benifit to adding insulation for cement walls?


At the very least, PLEASE use some vapor barrier. The obvoius benefit is humidity control. Concrete is bigtime porous. For the sake of a few bucks, I'd stuff some insulation in there. You don't need to go all out with high end Roxul, just some pink 'glass. It will neutralize the room. It also has a tendancy to absorb 'some' water should there be small leaks in the future.

FWIW - my old man uses 1/4" spanish cedar to line everything. The 1/4 stuff is also what is used to make the cigar trays (which I generally do as I make thm for a lot of friends). Its practically cheaper to line with spanish, than it is to use store-bought waynescotting.



ca21455 said:


> ...Will probably add a lot more recepticals then needed to ensure there is power where needed.


Where were you when I did my home theater!!!


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

DonnieW said:


> At the very least, PLEASE use some vapor barrier. The obvoius benefit is humidity control. Concrete is bigtime porous. For the sake of a few bucks, I'd stuff some insulation in there. You don't need to go all out with high end Roxul, just some pink 'glass. It will neutralize the room. It also has a tendancy to absorb 'some' water should there be small leaks in the future.
> 
> FWIW - my old man uses 1/4" spanish cedar to line everything. The 1/4 stuff is also what is used to make the cigar trays (which I generally do as I make thm for a lot of friends). Its practically cheaper to line with spanish, than it is to use store-bought waynescotting.
> 
> Where were you when I did my home theater!!!


Definitely going to install a vapor barrier all around. I will also check on the price for insulation in the walls. May not be a bad idea since that stuff is pretty cheap...

Where do you get the cedar from? Is it local or do you order it? I was planning to just paint the walls and then start building shelves, storage etc as money was available.

Thanks again for the help!


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> Definitely going to install a vapor barrier all around. I will also check on the price for insulation in the walls. May not be a bad idea since that stuff is pretty cheap...
> 
> Where do you get the cedar from? Is it local or do you order it? I was planning to just paint the walls and then start building shelves, storage etc as money was available.
> 
> Thanks again for the help!


I myself am not in the contracting business, but I have built a number of stogie related things. The same spanish cedar I sourced for my own hobby stuff is the same my father uses in cotract jobs. We get it from Rocket Lumber here in Ontario.

If money is a limiting factor, sure, drywall and paint. I can site you a number of medical/food grade paints, as well as glues/adhesives that are 100% cigar friendly. I'd spend all the money on presentation. Forget lining the walls, just spend your money on making some nice spanish cedar trays and/or shelves.


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

Oh, and if you're going to paint, you don't need to worry about using moisutre blocking drywall. That stuff IS expensive and its a real PITA to work with as its essentially a thin sheet of 'rock. Medical/food grade paints are certified for moisture blocking.


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## frogman18 (Jul 2, 2007)

If i were you i would insulate everything and a moisture barrier wouldnt be a bad idea either. As far as the door most of the time if it says rough opening of 38.5 you need 38.5 or its not going to fit. I would just frame it up for a 36'' or 32'' door. If you have any building question feel free to ask me, i work for a remodeling company, i dont know everything but ill try to help anyway i can.


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## frogman18 (Jul 2, 2007)

I dont know where you live but i understand that there is an exotic wood dealer in Nashville that has all types of Spanish cedar


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

frogman18 said:


> If i were you i would insulate everything and a moisture barrier wouldnt be a bad idea either. As far as the door most of the time if it says rough opening of 38.5 you need 38.5 or its not going to fit. I would just frame it up for a 36'' or 32'' door. If you have any building question feel free to ask me, i work for a remodeling company, i dont know everything but ill try to help anyway i can.


May have to go with a 32" door. I like the 36" because it has the glass insert and have not found any 32" with glass. But either way it will work out. Thanks for the help!


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Did some research, got some measurements and settled on the 36" door. Got it home and it fit perfectly. Here it is plumbed into the opening but not yet fastened.





This is a picture from the inside. The door opens into the humi. The unfinished portion will be trimmed out in wood to fit up to the walls in the room.



Really happy the larger door fit! Now on to some more framing.


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## Jay Hemingway-cl (Oct 21, 2007)

slowly getting there..:tu


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Taking a break so here is the wine bottle rack we are considering. This comes in three separate units. When you assemble them they all attach together. I like the "waterfall" effect and the corner unit. It will add depth and texture to the room.



The wife is liking the wine cellar idea so I am going with it. Since the area is 6' x 12' there is plenty of room for both. The wine and cigars will do very well at 68 degrees and 67% humidity. The wine rack will be in the back corner as you will walk into the humi, I mean wine cellar! I plan on building shelves for the cigars and possibly putting the cabinet inside the walk-in. 

Have not decided on the wood finish yet. However they do not recommend cedar for a wine cellar since it will add flavor to the wine.

By the way, the picture pretty well depicts our inventory of wine at this time!


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## Bax (Sep 12, 2007)

Just curios, your codes don't require PT wood on the floor?


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Bax said:


> Just curios, your codes don't require PT wood on the floor?


We live in a subdivision outside of town so county codes apply. They do not have that requirement. Will be putting ceramic tiles on the floor.


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## dwhitacre (Jan 2, 2008)

What a great project!!!

My two favorite vices wine and cigars!!!

The picture are great... loving that wine rack... 

*BTW - Nice Rack!!! *:r

How many bottles does it hold?


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

dwhitacre said:


> What a great project!!!
> 
> My two favorite vices wine and cigars!!!
> 
> ...


This setup holds about 275 bottles. There are many options so not sure what the final design will look like.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Completed the rough framing on Saturday. Had some difficulty starting the ceiling to ensure the whole thing would be level, but finally figured it out. There is a gap above the ceiling to allow room for the can lights.







Will start roughing in the electrical today.

Looks like the finished size of the room will be 12' 2" by 6' 5".


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

That wine rack is pretty awesome looking!


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## txdyna65 (Aug 21, 2006)

Looks great so far John, love the pics and watching your progress. Looks like you will have plenty of storage room when you are finished. Showed my wife the wine rack, probably gonna cost me money now lol Im sure once you are done your collection of cigars and wine will both grow significantly :ss

Keep up the good work and good luck with your progress and keep posting pics, love it!!


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

txdyna65 said:


> Looks great so far John, love the pics and watching your progress. Looks like you will have plenty of storage room when you are finished. Showed my wife the wine rack, probably gonna cost me money now lol Im sure once you are done your collection of cigars and wine will both grow significantly :ss
> 
> Keep up the good work and good luck with your progress and keep posting pics, love it!!





volum said:


> That wine rack is pretty awesome looking!


Thanks for the nice comments!

I know what you saying Kenny. Once you have a place to put stuff (humidors) it tends to fill up! :r


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## Bubba -NJ (Dec 6, 2005)

Looks like it's gonna be real nice . Have you thought about a vapor barrier for the walls ? If so what are you going to use ?


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Bubba -NJ said:


> Looks like it's gonna be real nice . Have you thought about a vapor barrier for the walls ? If so what are you going to use ?


Fiberglass insulation covered with 6 mil plastic sheet. This will then be covered with green board, the stuff they use in bathrooms. I was thinking of finishing the walls with wallpaper depicting brick, but I hate wallpapering sooooo much! Will probably stick with paint.


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> We live in a subdivision outside of town so county codes apply. They do not have that requirement. Will be putting ceramic tiles on the floor.


Regardless of code, you should have at least put sill plate gasket. Because you're going to need to be cautious of mold, the gasket would help keep mold from stemming from the floor upwards. Not much you can do now unfortunately, except maybe find some mold retardant to spray the bottom 2x4's before drywalling.


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> Fiberglass insulation covered with 6 mil plastic sheet. This will then be covered with green board, the stuff they use in bathrooms.


Good plan, this will help curtail mold issues per above post. You may want to consider running a bead of Green Glue or PL2000 along the bottom 2x4 just before laying the drywall. That will get you a superior moisture resistant/mold resistant seal.


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## elderboy02 (Jun 24, 2008)

That is looking awesome!


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## Cobrajet (Apr 21, 2005)

That's looking great!! Very cool project, thanks for posting the pictures and updates.


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## rx2010 (Jan 4, 2007)

I've been scarce around these parts lately, but I have this thread bookmarked


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## AllOGistics (Jun 17, 2008)

That is a great project. I'm just going to say it.... I'm jealous! :tu


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## JordanWexler (Mar 29, 2008)

awesome project! will keep checking up on the progress 

makes me excited to get my own place.


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## Lorglath (Aug 22, 2007)

interesting read and great photos along the way, keep up with the updates!


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## robofan (Jun 7, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> The wine and cigars will do very well at 68 degrees and 67% humidity.


You don't want to store wine above 65 degrees it will age to fast. That wine rack looks to hold about 250 bottles. That's over 20 cases. If you store that much wine some of it could go bad at 68 degrees before you get around to drinking it. Cigars will do fine at 65 degrees even at 60 degrees it will just slow down their aging process and many people believe that the slower a cigar ages the better it ages. Keep in mind wine is more sensitive to temperature than cigars and cigars are more sensitive to humidity than wine. I have a walk in wine cellar / humidor and I keep mine at 60 degrees and 65% RH. Both wine and cigars have been doing well since 1994.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

DonnieW said:


> Regardless of code, you should have at least put sill plate gasket. Because you're going to need to be cautious of mold, the gasket would help keep mold from stemming from the floor upwards. Not much you can do now unfortunately, except maybe find some mold retardant to spray the bottom 2x4's before drywalling.





DonnieW said:


> Good plan, this will help curtail mold issues per above post. You may want to consider running a bead of Green Glue or PL2000 along the bottom 2x4 just before laying the drywall. That will get you a superior moisture resistant/mold resistant seal.


Thanks for the suggestions! Good idea to seal off the 2 x 4s!



robofan said:


> You don't want to store wine above 65 degrees it will age to fast. That wine rack looks to hold about 250 bottles. That's over 20 cases. If you store that much wine some of it could go bad at 68 degrees before you get around to drinking it. Cigars will do fine at 65 degrees even at 60 degrees it will just slow down their aging process and many people believe that the slower a cigar ages the better it ages. Keep in mind wine is more sensitive to temperature than cigars and cigars are more sensitive to humidity than wine. I have a walk in wine cellar / humidor and I keep mine at 60 degrees and 65% RH. Both wine and cigars have been doing well since 1994.


Thanks, I have been debating over the temperature issue. The wine racks are going to be installed mostly for resale since a wine cellar is much more desirable then a walk-in humi. We would probably never have more then a few cases of wine on hand at a time. I will mostly use it for storing cigars. 65/65 is a good compromise. It the wine collection gets big, I might go closer to 60 degrees.

By the way, I was told that wine manufactures are now going with a plastic cork and it is no longer necessary to worry about humidity for storage of wine. Is this true?


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## Bubba -NJ (Dec 6, 2005)

ca21455 said:


> Fiberglass insulation covered with 6 mil plastic sheet. This will then be covered with green board, the stuff they use in bathrooms. I was thinking of finishing the walls with wallpaper depicting brick, but I hate wallpapering sooooo much! Will probably stick with paint.


Sounds great . Maybe you might want to look into the new sheetrock product that is supposed to be mold free . I googled it and found Densarmor Plus at Lowes , listed as Paperless , mold and moisture resistant . Link http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=26411-51801-26411&lpage=none There is also a faux Brick panelling available that would look way better than wall paper (absolutely hate wall paper by the way) .


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## robofan (Jun 7, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> By the way, I was told that wine manufactures are now going with a plastic cork and it is no longer necessary to worry about humidity for storage of wine. Is this true?


Plastic corks have been around since the 90's and have never really caught on. I think something like less than 2% of wine comes with a plastic cork and usually only low end stuff. I can't see the French ever using plastic or any premium wine maker. Someday I'm sure someone will come up with a synthetic substance that acts and looks like a cork until then we will have to live with the real thing.


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## Silound (May 22, 2007)

A lot of wines are actually starting to come with a synthetic cork now. I was looking around the local booze bin and saw that quite a large number of wines under $40 a bottle are starting to come with synthetic corks.

Granted, I'm no wine connoisseur, my tastes run in the 20-50 dollar range, but I think that may be a sign of something about American made wines.


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

robofan said:


> Plastic corks have been around since the 90's and have never really caught on. I think something like less than 2% of wine comes with a plastic cork and usually only low end stuff. I can't see the French ever using plastic or any premium wine maker. Someday I'm sure someone will come up with a synthetic substance that acts and looks like a cork until then we will have to live with the real thing.


The move to synthetic corks was due primarily to cork tree shortages and tainted corks. There are a ton of threads on Cigar Aficionado's sister site, the Wine Spectator on the subject.

*Now back to the Diary...*


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Bubba -NJ said:


> Sounds great . Maybe you might want to look into the new sheetrock product that is supposed to be mold free . I googled it and found Densarmor Plus at Lowes , listed as Paperless , mold and moisture resistant . Link http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=26411-51801-26411&lpage=none There is also a faux Brick panelling available that would look way better than wall paper (absolutely hate wall paper by the way) .


Thanks, that is exactly what I was considering.



robofan said:


> Plastic corks have been around since the 90's and have never really caught on. I think something like less than 2% of wine comes with a plastic cork and usually only low end stuff. I can't see the French ever using plastic or any premium wine maker. Someday I'm sure someone will come up with a synthetic substance that acts and looks like a cork until then we will have to live with the real thing.





Silound said:


> A lot of wines are actually starting to come with a synthetic cork now. I was looking around the local booze bin and saw that quite a large number of wines under $40 a bottle are starting to come with synthetic corks.
> 
> Granted, I'm no wine connoisseur, my tastes run in the 20-50 dollar range, but I think that may be a sign of something about American made wines.





DonnieW said:


> The move to synthetic corks was due primarily to cork tree shortages and tainted corks. There are a ton of threads on Cigar Aficionado's sister site, the Wine Spectator on the subject.
> 
> *Now back to the Diary...*


Thanks for the information!


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## Moro (Jun 30, 2008)

This'd be a gorgeus project, mate. Wine and cigars...as good as it gets on me book. Keep us posted and make sure to invite us over when done.


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## andrewk (Jun 25, 2008)

Man I wish I had a house so I could do this!


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## Lorglath (Aug 22, 2007)

andrewk said:


> Man I wish I had a house so I could do this!


Wanna do it to my house? It isn't too far, only in MN


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## O-Danger (Apr 26, 2008)

It is lookin really good. Keep up the good work... and the pictures of the progress:tu


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Lorglath said:


> Wanna do it to my house? It isn't too far, only in MN


As long as there aren't any children around to learn new words!


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## gwc4sc (Jan 11, 2008)

What size can lights are you considering? Incadescent or flourescent? Just curious because I may have a few cans laying around. Let me know:tu


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

gwc4sc said:


> What size can lights are you considering? Incadescent or flourescent? Just curious because I may have a few cans laying around. Let me know:tu


Have a bunch of 4" cans from construction of the house so I was going to use them. Going to check out the local lighting supplier to determine what type of light to install.


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## CaddoMoney (Oct 10, 2007)

Most impressive, keep up the great work!


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Worked on the lighting yesterday. Started out with four housings and decided that five would work better. Here is the switch outside of the door. Will install a dimmer switch in the future.



Took awhile to get the positioning down and decided on the following pattern:







Still undecided on using a straight baffle of swivel. Will have to see what the lighting looks like when the walls are up.


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## Bax (Sep 12, 2007)

It's looking great! Are you using the anti-mold dry wall with the fiberglass wrap? 

Sorry for the geek DIY questions, I love this kind of stuff:ss


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Bax said:


> It's looking great! Are you using the anti-mold dry wall with the fiberglass wrap?
> 
> Sorry for the geek DIY questions, I love this kind of stuff:ss


Yes, looking at using the 1/2" x 4' x 8' DensArmor™ Plus® Interior Wallboard from Lowes.


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## gwc4sc (Jan 11, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> Still undecided on using a straight baffle of swivel. Will have to see what the lighting looks like when the walls are up.


I would go with the straight baffle. With that particular layout there really is no need for a swivel trim. IMO But of course it is your humi not mine. Are those 4" cans just the regular incadescent or are they the halogen ones?

Sure is coming right along and lookin great.:tu


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

gwc4sc said:


> I would go with the straight baffle. With that particular layout there really is no need for a swivel trim. IMO But of course it is your humi not mine. Are those 4" cans just the regular incadescent or are they the halogen ones?
> 
> Sure is coming right along and lookin great.:tu


Thanks for the advice, I am leaning toward teh straight baffle. They are the regular incandescent 4" cans.


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## Moro (Jun 30, 2008)

Looking gorgeus still, mate! Keep us posted!


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## ultramag (Aug 23, 2007)

andrewk said:


> Man I wish I had a house so I could do this!


I wish I had the talent to do this. I have the house with the perfect room for this project.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

ultramag said:


> I wish I had the talent to do this. I have the house with the perfect room for this project.


No talent needed! Just some tools...


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## CoopnGA (Mar 12, 2008)

I would love to do something like this at my place....but I don't have the talent or tools...lol


Coop


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## wingedwheel (Mar 11, 2007)

Hi nice work so far. just an idea, web some wire for future low voltage track lights or art lights. I am an electrician and do alot of very high end homes with wine and cigar rooms. p.s. if you do make a map so you can find them later. if you have questions pm me:ss


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## jamesgang (Jun 29, 2008)

I'm hoping for a good outcome on this project. This is something I've been thinking about doing for a few years, after I retire from the military.


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## ElkTwin (Aug 14, 2004)

Put the lights on a timer or motion sensor to avoid building a large-sized EZ-Bake oven. :ss


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Got a little work accomplished this weekend. Wired the outlets.

Wired in a GFCI.



Have 5 plugs just to make sure they are in the right locations. Still considering a socket up by the ceiling for a fan, but have not settled on that yet.







As you can see the temperature is a little high at the moment. I had a work light on while the electricity was off. However the humidity is getting there! 



Next step is to core drill through the cement wall to make holes for the ventilation. At first I will use the house AC and see how that works. If needed I will install a split AC unit through the holes. However it appears the house AC will work. It will only be used to cool the room a little and provide some ventilation so the air does not get stale. The split AC would be good for a future application of solely a wine cellar. I plan to keep the room at 65 degrees and 65% humidity.

Here are the costs to date:

Studs $125.2
Light cans (5) $105.18
Wire Boxes (5) $5.45
Screws (Box) $7.70
Nails (Box) $2.84
Wire (100') $38.64
Door $215.00
Shims $2.00
Insulation $58.08
NM Connectors (10) $3.12
Receptacles (4) $5.97
GFCI $13.59
Staples $2.47
Bulb $4.48
Cover Plates (4) $2.76
6ml Plastic $26.23

*TOTAL: **$618.71*


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## pcozad1 (May 31, 2008)

If I had more room I would be doing the same thing. Very nice . Keep the pics comming.:ss


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## outlawhendrix (Jul 20, 2008)

Thats my friend......is super cool! I cant imagine the fun of having a smoking buddy over and telling him he can go down to the humidor and grab a stick. Then explaining "No, not the box on the counter, it's the door on the left." Truly a dream of many.


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## troutbreath (May 22, 2008)

Looks great! Keep us posted on your progress.


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## Mullet (Oct 22, 2007)

this thread is really doing things to me!


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## Moro (Jun 30, 2008)

This is gonna be a beaut when done, mate. Keep us posted.


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## sikk50 (Feb 14, 2008)

Watching this is very exciting, I can't imagine actualy getting to build it yourself.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Found out today the person that was going to help me put holes in the wall actually had a drill bit for cement and not a core drill. So I called the local rental place and they had this:



Now that's what I'm talking about!  Other then tearing me apart and making a mess it worked well.









And not only did it do a good job of drilling holes, it makes a great humidifier! 



Now that the job I was really dreading is done. I can move on to more exciting stuff! 

For the "cheap" alternative, the lower hole is going to just be a vent. The upper will be where the house A/C will go through. If that does not work well, the holes can be used for a self contained A/C exhaust or the freon lines for a split unit.

Tomorrows project will be to shop around for some ductwork and see how the house AC handles the room temperature.


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## kgraybill (Apr 18, 2008)

Dont tap into your existing a/c system. you will not be happy with the results. 
Check into a ductless mini split system. The Mitsubishi is very reliable and you cant hear it running.
http://www.mrslim.com/homesolutions/index.asp
Just a 3" hole in the wall to run the lineset, condensate and wiring.


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## Kneo (Jun 30, 2008)

This is simply amazing. Someday I hope to do this.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

kgraybill said:


> Dont tap into your existing a/c system. you will not be happy with the results.
> Check into a ductless mini split system. The Mitsubishi is very reliable and you cant hear it running.
> http://www.mrslim.com/homesolutions/index.asp
> Just a 3" hole in the wall to run the lineset, condensate and wiring.


Thanks for the suggestion. I was looking into them. My AC contractor felt that because the room is completely surrounded by cement and will be insulated, only a small amount of AC flow will be needed. It will only cost a couple of bucks to run some flex pipe in a try the AC. If it does not work then a seperate unit will be installed.


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> Thanks for the suggestion. I was looking into them. My AC contractor felt that because the room is completely surrounded by cement and will be insulated, only a small amount of AC flow will be needed. It will only cost a couple of bucks to run some flex pipe in a try the AC. If it does not work then a seperate unit will be installed.


I agree those Mitsubishi units are excellent :tu, I have one in my office/lab. They are NOT cheap though. My father has used cheaper Home Depot-class stand-alone units in the three or four walkin humidors he's done. He just reminded me that they are VERY cheap right now being we're going into the cooler days of summer. I've seen those stand-alone units for $150 at my local HD. My father builds them into a custom wood cabinet in the corner and they look seemless in the room. :2


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

DonnieW said:


> I agree those Mitsubishi units are excellent :tu, I have one in my office/lab. They are NOT cheap though. My father has used cheaper Home Depot-class stand-alone units in the three or four walkin humidors he's done. He just reminded me that they are VERY cheap right now being we're going into the cooler days of summer. I've seen those stand-alone units for $150 at my local HD. My father builds them into a custom wood cabinet in the corner and they look seemless in the room. :2


Yes, I was looking into those also. Will have to see how everything works out. Thanks!


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> Yes, I was looking into those also. Will have to see how everything works out. Thanks!


It goes without saying that whatever unit you put in there it will, by nature, strip a lot of the moisture out of the air (proabably 20%-40%). Thus you will need an active drain, and an active supply of water if you sense the A/C will be on a fair bit.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

DonnieW said:


> It goes without saying that whatever unit you put in there it will, by nature, strip a lot of the moisture out of the air (proabably 20%-40%). Thus you will need an active drain, and an active supply of water if you sense the A/C will be on a fair bit.


There is a supply of RO water near the door. I will have plenty of humidity from the installed humidifier. Most websites reccomend having some air exchange. Since the door is sealed the small amount of AC should not be a problem. The air flow will be adjustable so I should be able to create a good balance. Will have to see.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Decided to go with a self contained A/C unit. Even though I will keep the room at 65 degrees, if someone wanted to only store wine a better temperature would be 55.

So off to find a good unit and finish insulation.

BTW, the wife wants a small tasting room outside of the cellar/humi. That is going to require moving the water softener, RO unit and vacuum. More planning and 2 x 4's to purchase!


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## WhatDidYouJustSee (Aug 15, 2008)

You are a God among men.


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## Laserjock (Mar 25, 2006)

So, any further updates on this project? Am anxious to see how it is coming along!


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## panicjunkie (Aug 8, 2008)

What a great thread,Keep up the good work.I would like to inform you if you plan on keeping this humidor/house i would strongly recomend using preasure treated bottom plate on the floor.std.wood should never touch concrete,it will last for some time but with all the work you have put in i would hate to see you have problems in the future.:cb


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Laserjock said:


> So, any further updates on this project? Am anxious to see how it is coming along!


Received a minor injury to my thumb, so work is on hold. Hope to get back to it next week.



panicjunkie said:


> What a great thread,Keep up the good work.I would like to inform you if you plan on keeping this humidor/house i would strongly recomend using preasure treated bottom plate on the floor.std.wood should never touch concrete,it will last for some time but with all the work you have put in i would hate to see you have problems in the future.:cb


Thanks for the advice!


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## Laserjock (Mar 25, 2006)

Oh man...sorry to hear that. Hope you are feeling better soon!

:tu


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## livwire68 (Oct 2, 2006)

If its not to late I would look into led accent lighting, there would be no heat build up and lower electric bill. Just a thought! And the holes would be smaller. Looks great have fun, and the reward will be truley amazing!:tu


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## DonnieW (Jul 2, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> Received a minor injury to my thumb, so work is on hold. Hope to get back to it next week.


Are you kidding me? It wasn't your smoking hand was it? :r

Get back to work... you depriving us.

[edit] hope you feel better soon.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

DonnieW said:


> Are you kidding me? It wasn't your smoking hand was it? :r
> 
> Get back to work... you depriving us.
> 
> [edit] hope you feel better soon.


Yup! :r Fortunately not dabilitating...smoking with a limp!


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## CohibaMan (Aug 18, 2008)

Who isn't watching this thread constantly :ss.

Hope you thumb heals quickly!


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## n2advnture (Aug 9, 2004)

This is my new favorite thread!

If you wouldn't mind, would you please do a running tab on material costs? (and maybe time for each portion).

Very interesting and great job!

~Mark

.


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## b128thopen (Dec 5, 2007)

WoW...where have I been. Great thread!
The house we just put an offer on has an unfinished area just like this. I have thoughts of doing something similar, just not as grand due to my lack of skills. Thanks for keeping us in the loop on this!
Good luck and hope the wound heals.


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## ryan35um (Jun 8, 2007)

I finished my basement last year with a smoking room in it. I have one room left over that's unfinished that's meant for a bathroom. You're inspiring me to make that into a walk-in humi to finish off the job. There's nothing wrong with sending the rest of the us down the slippery slope:dr

Nice post!


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## sikk50 (Feb 14, 2008)

CohibaMan said:


> Who isn't watching this thread constantly :ss.
> 
> Hope you thumb heals quickly!


I am!:tpd:


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

n2advnture said:


> This is my new favorite thread!
> 
> If you wouldn't mind, would you please do a running tab on material costs? (and maybe time for each portion).
> 
> ...


Thanks to everyone for all the advice and encouragement!

Thumb is better now so I hope to get some work done this weekend. Here is an update on costs and time:

*ITEM AMT PRICE*
Studs 60 $125.20
Light can 4 $105.18
Wire Box 5 $5.45
Screws Box $7.70
Nails Box $2.84
Wire 100' $38.64
Door 1 $215.00
Shims PKG $2.00
Insulation 6 $58.08
NM Connectors 10 $3.12
Receptacles 4 $5.97
GFCI 1 $13.59
Staples Box $2.47
Bulbs 1 $4.48
Cover Plates 4 $2.76
6ml Plastic 1 $26.23
Core Drill RENT $78.76

*TOTAL: $697.47*

An estimate on the labor so far:

Clean out room: 6 hours
Studs: 16 hours
Lights: 8 hours 
Sockets: 8 hours
Core drill: 4 hours
Insulation: 3 hours, in progress


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## ylo2na (Dec 11, 2007)

ca21455 said:


> The Trion will keep the humidity constant without a problem. You can spend big dollars on a unit but this one is reliable from what I read and has been used in a number of walk-ins. It costs around $200. It's capacity far exceeds the size of the room. There should also be some air circulation in the room. One site recommended the door not be air tight so there is some air exchange. I will have to do some further research on this. Considering putting an air purifier in the room to keep the dust and any airborne junk out.
> 
> Unfortunately she is not a big cigar fan. However, she likes the idea of having a wine cellar / humidor since it is a good selling point for the house. But most of all this project keeps me out of her hair!


A recommendation about keeping your door airtight....outside temp really affects the humidor, so a tightly, closed door is paramount. Now, you can install an exhaust fan if you need some air circulation from time to time. Be sure to install a good sized fan to move the air and humidity. Also, a an ionizer exchange fan helps, too! Dont leave on too long, though! 
I have a 9 x 12 x 8 walkin in my garage and love it. Tried to keep it as airtight as possible so that the ac and humidor can do their things. So far, after 6 months or so, it has worked fairly well. I am a little paranoid about it since I have a sizable $$$$ investment, but, that comes with the territory. Just remember, the 70/70 rule, but this will fluctuate all over the humidor...one area will be 72/65, another 68/70 , etc. As long as you are not in the 80's for any length of time (like several days), you will be ok. Of course, the more constant you can keep it, the better. However, cigars are hearty and most guys have never thrown away a stick that still could be lighted.
Best of luck,
ylo2na
Tampa


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Between yard work and other assorted chores, managed to get the insulation up.







Next step is to put in the AC vents and then cover everything with plastic. Then dry wall can be put up.

We decided to have a small tasting room outside the humi/wine cellar. There will be an entryway where my cabinet and water softener are now. That means some re-plumbing will have to be done to move the RO unit and softener. I will have to frame the outside of the door before starting any drywall work so I know all the clearances.

We did not like the idea of having to access the cellar through an unfinished room. The new room will be about 12' x 12' outside of the humi/cellar and will lead into the home theater room through the new doorway.

Anyway, will finish the humi/cellar first then move to the outer room.



Hopefully tomorrow or Monday I can get some more 2 x 4's to frame the outside of the door and the drywall for the inside.

Everyone have a safe and happy holiday!


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## grizzrider (Mar 10, 2005)

What a great project. 

This sounds a lot like some of the projects I do at work...uncontrollable scope creep!! Start out with something that is reasonably manageable with a short timeline and good budget, and somehow - not sure exactly why or how - it becomes this *huge* monster of a project with all these moving parts, 200% over original budget, etc! 

Have fun...I'm sure ya'll will be enjoying the fruits of your labor real soon.

Grizz


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

grizzrider said:


> What a great project.
> 
> This sounds a lot like some of the projects I do at work...uncontrollable scope creep!! Start out with something that is reasonably manageable with a short timeline and good budget, and somehow - not sure exactly why or how - it becomes this *huge* monster of a project with all these moving parts, 200% over original budget, etc!
> 
> ...


Purposely did not set a budget, that way I can't go over!


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## LARAIDER (Sep 1, 2007)

I can see a dizzying angle of the slope coming in your future, hopefully you are saving up for it.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

LARAIDER said:


> I can see a dizzying angle of the slope coming in your future, hopefully you are saving up for it.


That's what credit cards are for!


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## ChasDen (Dec 12, 2007)

Looks great :tu

Since you face stapled the insulation on the studs I highly recommend you not cover everything with plastic. The Kraft paper and tar on the insulation will be more than enough vapor barrier to keep the humidity in. If you create a double vapor barrier you will get serious mold trouble down the road. The moisture needs a place to go. In your case you want to keep it in. With a double barrier when, not if, it gets between the 2 layers it will just sit and begin to mold. By the time you see it through the walls you will be removing everything and starting over.

Chas


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## Mikes (Apr 6, 2004)

I finished a similar project a few years back as well. Looks like you are almost there! Mine is 8X8X10 and should be able to hold around 20,000 cigars ;o). I used sheetrock and for piece of mind wish I would have gone with hardy board which unlike green board / rock won't wick water which leads to mold. After 2+ years I have no mold issues but if I had to do anything different this would be it. Not sure if you are still planning to use the humidifier on page 1 but I have had good luck using a Bemis 10 gal humidifier that has a float valve inside and is plumbed in directly to my water line for an 'autofill' feature. Its hooked up to a set and forget habitat monitor to control the humidity levels to where I want them to be. ANd don't forget to run the wire for a humi web cam before you put the Sheetrock up hehehe.

Looks like you know what your doing but if you have any questions give me a shout. Building my walk-in was the best thing I have ever done. I have more cigars now than some b&m's in my area.

Keep up the good work,
mikes


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## CigarmanTim (Apr 5, 2008)

ChasDen said:


> Looks great :tu
> 
> Since you face stapled the insulation on the studs I highly recommend you not cover everything with plastic. The Kraft paper and tar on the insulation will be more than enough vapor barrier to keep the humidity in. If you create a double vapor barrier you will get serious mold trouble down the road. The moisture needs a place to go. In your case you want to keep it in. With a double barrier when, not if, it gets between the 2 layers it will just sit and begin to mold. By the time you see it through the walls you will be removing everything and starting over.
> 
> Chas


:tpd: Great, accurate advice. More is not better in this instance....it is worse


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

ChasDen said:


> Looks great :tu
> 
> Since you face stapled the insulation on the studs I highly recommend you not cover everything with plastic. The Kraft paper and tar on the insulation will be more than enough vapor barrier to keep the humidity in. If you create a double vapor barrier you will get serious mold trouble down the road. The moisture needs a place to go. In your case you want to keep it in. With a double barrier when, not if, it gets between the 2 layers it will just sit and begin to mold. By the time you see it through the walls you will be removing everything and starting over.
> 
> Chas





CigarmanTim said:


> :tpd: Great, accurate advice. More is not better in this instance....it is worse


Thanks for the help guys.


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## NCRadioMan (Feb 28, 2005)

Looking good, John! :tu


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## Laserjock (Mar 25, 2006)

Mikes said:


> I finished a similar project a few years back as well. Looks like you are almost there! Mine is 8X8X10 and should be able to hold around 20,000 cigars ;o). I used sheetrock and for piece of mind wish I would have gone with hardy board which unlike green board / rock won't wick water which leads to mold. After 2+ years I have no mold issues but if I had to do anything different this would be it. Not sure if you are still planning to use the humidifier on page 1 but I have had good luck using a Bemis 10 gal humidifier that has a float valve inside and is plumbed in directly to my water line for an 'autofill' feature. Its hooked up to a set and forget habitat monitor to control the humidity levels to where I want them to be. ANd don't forget to run the wire for a humi web cam before you put the Sheetrock up hehehe.
> 
> Looks like you know what your doing but if you have any questions give me a shout. Building my walk-in was the best thing I have ever done. I have more cigars now than some b&m's in my area.
> 
> ...


This post SOOOOO cries out for pictures....I would love to see this setup.

:tu


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## Emjaysmash (May 29, 2008)

This thread rocks. period.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Made some more purchases over the weekend.

Decided to go with the green board, basically a mold resistant drywall:



Also got some 104" studs to frame the outer section of the door, drywall screws and mud.



Unfortunately I have to work on Saturday, starting to get ready for the refueling outage. Maybe can get some drywall up on Sunday. Not looking forward to doing the ceiling, that drywall weighs a ton compared to the regular stuff!


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## TheTraveler (Aug 20, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> Not looking forward to doing the ceiling, that drywall weighs a ton compared to the regular stuff!


At least you got the 4x8 drywall - the 4x12 stuff is even heavier and really, really sucks to *TRY* to hang by yourself!!!! I don't recommend attempting that. :tu


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

TheTraveler said:


> At least you got the 4x8 drywall - the 4x12 stuff is even heavier and really, really sucks to *TRY* to hang by yourself!!!! I don't recommend attempting that. :tu


I agree! The walls should not be to bad. Will get some help and maybe a lift to do the ceiling.


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## TheTraveler (Aug 20, 2008)

By the way, I forgot to thank you for this thread. Like many others I am living vicariously through it. I'm a little jealous of and very excited for you! I hope every thing goes well for you. :ss


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## Bear (Sep 22, 2007)

We should all be so lucky to have the skills & resolve to take on this kind of project (never mind a spouse who is open minded enough to go along with it!).
Great works and thanks for the pics & project updates. :tu


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## Rudder (Feb 7, 2008)

ryan35um said:


> I finished my basement last year with a smoking room in it. I have one room left over that's unfinished that's meant for a bathroom. You're inspiring me to make that into a walk-in humi to finish off the job. There's nothing wrong with sending the rest of the us down the slippery slope:dr
> 
> Nice post!


 LOL, I put the bathroom in and left just enough "storage" space for just such a project


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## Bax (Sep 12, 2007)

This might be a little premature, but honesty... when's the party?


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## mu mike (Jan 7, 2006)

This thread is fun to watch, lookin' good!


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## pcozad1 (May 31, 2008)

Is there room in there for a a giant CS herf ? :ss


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

pcozad1 said:


> Is there room in there for a a giant CS herf ? :ss


No, but plenty of room in the basement!


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Thanks to Warren (BlackDog) I can now display a spreadsheet! So with my newly found talents here is the costs to date:


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## parafumar (Aug 23, 2008)

looking good thus far -good work convincing the wife to allow.


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## ConMan (Dec 20, 2005)

This is a great thread. Wonderful project :tu


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## caryan (Aug 18, 2008)

i am just absolutely amazed by this project. it is great so far and am excited to see the finished project.


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## duhman (Dec 3, 2007)

The cost is pretty low so far. Makes me think...:r
Filling it full of cigars is the expensive part!


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## habanafinger18 (Sep 6, 2008)

Nice room ca. How do you plan on finishing it? (shelves woodwork etc):ss


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## CohibaMan (Aug 18, 2008)

Well you know if you keep posting pictures of the project you're going to have to build bunk beds in the basement for all the CS members that show up for the grand opening. :r


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

habanafinger18 said:


> Nice room ca. How do you plan on finishing it? (shelves woodwork etc):ss


That is the million dollar question. Initially there is going to be slatted shelves for the cigar boxes. The singles will go in bins on the shelves.

The wine racks will probably be along the lines of what I posted earlier but the price to purchase already made items is very high. May look at building all the racks/shelves myself.


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## opus (Jun 21, 2005)

ca21455 said:


> Made some more purchases over the weekend.
> 
> Decided to go with the green board, basically a mold resistant drywall:
> 
> Unfortunately I have to work on Saturday, starting to get ready for the refueling outage. Maybe can get some drywall up on Sunday.* Not looking forward to doing the ceiling, that drywall weighs a ton* compared to the regular stuff!


Make a deadman out of 2x4s and the ceiling work will be easier. It's about half way down on this link. http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/article.asp?article_id=60409


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

The wife kept me busy this weekend so not much time to spend on the project. Did get a few pieces of Sheetrock up:





A view from the outside. Will have to frame this side of the door next so I can make sure the inside dimensions are correct.


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## Hybridtuner (Sep 1, 2008)

The room looks awesome! 

Post up some more pics!!!!


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## neoflex (Jan 3, 2006)

I am anxiously awaiting the finished pics as I am sure you can't wait to put the room into service. I always tell my wife that our next home needs to have a basement so I can build myself a walk-in and a smoking room. At least this way I can enjoy a cigar indoors and smoke when I work from home from time to time.


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## morefifemusicanyone (Aug 23, 2008)

neoflex said:


> I can build myself a walk-in and a smoking room. At least this way I can enjoy a cigar indoors and smoke when I work from home from time to time.


Man, I wish I had a smoking room. I used to be able to smoke in the basement when I smoked pipes, but cigars in the basement are a no-go (not that I blame her though).

Great pics man, this walk-in is going to be awesome! :tu


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## xapa97 (Aug 25, 2008)

Just found this thread today. Looks AWESOME! Can't wait to see more pics. :tu Congrats and good luck.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Got a little more drywall up today. Should be able to finish the walls tomorrow.



Looking forward to starting on the mud work. Like that a lot more then hanging the drywall.


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## Footbag (May 14, 2008)

ca21455 said:


> Got a little more drywall up today. Should be able to finish the walls tomorrow.
> 
> Looking forward to starting on the mud work. Like that a lot more then hanging the drywall.


I hate the mud work. Damn inside corners. I'd rather hand sheets all day long.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Footbag said:


> I hate the mud work. Damn inside corners. I'd rather hand sheets all day long.


HE HE! I like playing in the mud!  Besides this stupid green board weighs a ton. :hn


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## Jay Hemingway-cl (Oct 21, 2007)

i hate mud work!!!!!!! well it isn't that bad being you are working on a new build and you can let shite get all over the floors. i am currently in the middle of building a wall in the middle of my bedroom, to make it into two rooms. after mudding ya got to sand and all that white shite goes over every freeking thing in the room!! i have to cover the bed, television, futon,dressers,computers,dj equipment etc. etc.!! and even after i cover everything, the sand off still gets into everything, it's the worst.
after a while i got smart and came up with a plan for my wife to follow the sander with a vacume hose. so the vacume grabs all the sand off as it comes from under the sandpaper. still doesn't get 100% of the stuff, but it helps alot.
to tell ya IMHO, i would rather hang walls than mud and sand ANYDAY! :tu


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Jay Hemingway said:


> i hate mud work!!!!!!! well it isn't that bad being you are working on a new build and you can let shite get all over the floors. i am currently in the middle of building a wall in the middle of my bedroom, to make it into two rooms. after mudding ya got to sand and all that white shite goes over every freeking thing in the room!! i have to cover the bed, television, futon,dressers,computers,dj equipment etc. etc.!! and even after i cover everything, the sand off still gets into everything, it's the worst.
> after a while i got smart and came up with a plan for my wife to follow the sander with a vacume hose. so the vacume grabs all the sand off as it comes from under the sandpaper. still doesn't get 100% of the stuff, but it helps alot.
> to tell ya IMHO, i would rather hang walls than mud and sand ANYDAY! :tu


I feel your pain! Fortunately I will not have to worry about spreading the mess around.


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## PolarGar (Aug 10, 2008)

What a terrific and inspiring thread. I have bookmarked this as I am doing a similar, though much less ambitious project, converting an existing small closet into a humidor. 

I can't wait to see how the shelving scheme takes shape!


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Removed the door today and framed around the outside. I used the framing to square the door frame. The small pieces of drywall were used as shims to provide space for finishing later.

Had to disconnect the wiring to allow space for the framing. 



Next will finish inside the door frame with wood and complete the ventilation duct work in preparation for completing the drywall. The wiring will be reconnected to a wall switch out side the door for the lights inside the room.

In the past I used pine board to finish the opening, but due to the depth I am considering using a high grade plywood cut to size by the lumberyard.


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## CigarDood (Aug 31, 2008)

This whole thread is fantastic. Congrats on all the progress.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Purchased a 4' x 8' x 3/4" piece of MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard). Had the store cut it into 12 3/4" boards to fit the doorway. Will have to get these cut to length and fit into place. Lowe's recommended MDF over plywood because it is easier to work with and will not warp.

Here is a roll up of costs to date:


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## ChasDen (Dec 12, 2007)

ca21455 said:


> Purchased a 4' x 8' x 3/4" piece of MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard). Had the store cut it into 12 3/4" boards to fit the doorway. Will have to get these cut to length and fit into place. *Lowe's recommended MDF over plywood because it is easier to work with and will not warp.*


Depends. Are you sealing it or leaving it unfinished?

From Wikipedia:

Benefits of MDF:


Some varieties are less expensive than many natural woods
Isotropic (no grain), so no tendency to split
Consistent in strength and size
Flexible. Can be used for curved walls or surfaces.
Shapes well.
 Drawbacks of MDF:


Heavier than plywood or chipboard (the resins are heavy)
Swells and breaks when waterlogged
May warp or expand if not sealed
Contains urea-formaldehyde which may cause eye and lung irritation when cutting and sanding
Dulls blades more quickly than many woods
Though it doesn't have a grain in the plane of the board, it does have one _into_ the board. Screwing into the edge of a board will generally cause it to split in a fashion similar to delaminating.
Subject to significant shrinkage in low humidity environments.
Chas


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

ChasDen said:


> Depends. Are you sealing it or leaving it unfinished?
> 
> From Wikipedia:
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info Chas! I did notice I was allergic to the dust left from cutting in the store! I was planing on sealing them before installation and then painting them the color of the walls.


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## ChasDen (Dec 12, 2007)

ca21455 said:


> Thanks for the info Chas! I did notice I was allergic to the dust left from cutting in the store! I was planing on sealing them before installation and then painting them the color of the walls.


:tu

We have a spare bedroom and this is killing me 

Chas


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

ChasDen said:


> :tu
> 
> We have a spare bedroom and this is killing me
> 
> Chas


Go for it brother, it's only money! :tu


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## rx2010 (Jan 4, 2007)

someday when I own a house it will have to have a basement, a walkin is my dream

keep the updates coming!


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Driving home from work today I got to thinking. You know the old saying, measure with a micrometer, mark with a crayon, cut with an axe. Well dumb a$$ me was patting myself on the back so hard for remembering to add the 1/2 outside for the drywall but forgot to add the 1/2" on the inside! :hn

Well the boards will not go to waste, still have a closet that needs shelves. Will go to Lowe's again and get them cut to the right size this time!

Thanks again for all the great comments and encouragement.


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## zmancbr (Nov 20, 2007)

ca21455 said:


> Driving home from work today I got to thinking. You know the old saying, measure with a micrometer, mark with a crayon, cut with an axe. Well dumb a$$ me was patting myself on the back so hard for remembering to add the 1/2 outside for the drywall but forgot to add the 1/2" on the inside! :hn
> 
> Well the boards will not go to waste, still have a closet that needs shelves. Will go to Lowe's again and get them cut to the right size this time!
> 
> Thanks again for all the great comments and encouragement.


Eh it happens even to the pros... Just keep up the good work in this thread so we can all live vicarious through you... :r

It will be 5-10 years before I can get a walk-in humi so I will have to enjoy yours until then!


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Had a busy weekend. My youngest daughter is moving into her apartment and we helped her move her things. Also reseeded the lawn where the rains washed out what was done over Labor Day weekend. Did get a chance to work on the walk in a little.

Decided to glue a spacer strip onto the boards rather then go back and get another piece. Cut the spacers from a spare board. Glued and clapped the spacers onto the boards to give them the extra 1/2 inch for the drywall. When the glue was dry, cut the boards to fit the opening. The boards will be placed around the door frame to cover the studs and boards used to frame out the cement. Here is a picture of were they will be placed:



Used a router to cut three notches for the door hinges.



Sealed all surfaces of the boards with primer to prevent damage from moisture.



Will let the boards dry overnight and then fit them into place tomorrow.

I start night shift for the outage on Monday so may not get much chance to work on this for the next month.

While at the store yesterday, found some of the fluorescent lights that will fit in the light cans. Decided to try these out since they do not generate as much heat as an incandescent bulbs.


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## heartbeat427 (Jul 26, 2008)

looks great Im jealous lol


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## jamesgang (Jun 29, 2008)

I just moved back to Missouri and would like to do the same in the basement of my 3600 sqft house. I think I have a spot to put it in but I'll wait till your finished before I make in moves on my own.
Good luck. This should be made a sticky so you can post your progress without the thread being a mile long.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Cut the shims for the entryway framing. Installed the frame with nails. Everything came out pretty well. Also install a couple more sheets of drywall. The walls are almost complete.

May have to modify the area for the door latch. Will have to see how everything fits when the door is replaced.







Here is a picture of the ceiling with the 60 watt florescent bulbs. The light level with the six fixtures is perfect (The end light is not shown). Think I will stick with these for the lighting.



On twelve hour night shifts now. Will have to see how I feel on the off days and maybe can finish the drywall prior to the end of the outage.


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## Benwoo (Sep 30, 2008)

Looks like things are progressing nicely


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## Lorglath (Aug 22, 2007)

Coming along nicely!


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## Ouch (Jul 29, 2008)

What an inspiring thread! Thank you and everybody else that gives such good advice. I'm planning to build a walk-in myself this winter and this thread is very much appreciated. :tu


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Working on finishing the drywall. The walls are done and one of three ceiling boards are up. The ceiling is a pain because of the light fixtures. Starting another four night shifts so will not get much done until the weekend.


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## bobarian (Oct 1, 2007)

Looks very nice. Did you install any type of vapor barrier? How will you handle the seal around the door?


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## lunchbox (Sep 18, 2008)

Ive been checking this thread periodically ever since my join date and its looking pretty bad ass I cant wait to see the end result:tu


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## JAX (Sep 18, 2007)

I'm also a dedicated follower of this thread!


Keep up the great work...you've got alot of jealous admires out here tracking it's progress!


If I only had a small room I could use in my own home......


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

bobarian said:


> Looks very nice. Did you install any type of vapor barrier? How will you handle the seal around the door?


The insulation had a vapor barrier backing. The door is an exterior door therefore it came with a seal.


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## ElkTwin (Aug 14, 2004)

You're going to want a vapor barrier on both sides to prevent condensation in the walls.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Another milestone! Drywall hanging is finally complete.

Here is the last piece prior to installing:



The ceiling just before completion:



I used this handy stud finder to locate the screw positions. My wife says it is very accurate since when she points it at me it does not indicate!





The finished product:











Go back on night shift today, but will start working on the mud my next night off.


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## Blazedup (Sep 3, 2008)

Looking good!! :tu


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## jjirons69 (Jul 15, 2007)

John, you've got the patience of Job. I would be going crazy to get this awesome project finished. Kudos to you!

It's gonna be sweet!


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## TOB9595 (Apr 24, 2007)

wonderful pictorial of how you're doing and deciding what to use...
Lovin it
Thank you
Tom


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## TheTraveler (Aug 20, 2008)

I'm still watching this thread (like many others I suspect). Still a bit jealous  and looking forward to more progress pics. You're doing a great job! :tu


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## gary106334 (Sep 28, 2006)

Looking good. :tu


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## Mr. Montecristo (Feb 4, 2007)

Wow, can't wait to see the end result.

Congratulations!!:tu


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## raralith (Sep 26, 2008)

I just bought a Vinotemp, but my wife and I are moving into another apartment. Kicker is there is an extra closet... so.... This is giving me quite a few ideas. Thanks for posting your worklog!


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## Hybridtuner (Sep 1, 2008)

Looks awesome. My wife and I are both enjoying watching this thread. Keep up the good work:ss


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Competed the first coat of the mudding. Here are some pics:

The tools:



The project:


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## Lorglath (Aug 22, 2007)

Looking Great! Keep up the great work!


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## gary106334 (Sep 28, 2006)

Lorglath said:


> Looking Great! Keep up the great work!


:tpd: Looking good.


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## Paint (Mar 1, 2008)

A little envy going on right here that will be great once you are done ...:tu


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## Abom (Oct 19, 2008)

Very nice, this will be an awesome room when the project is complete !


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Thanks for all the encouraging words. 

Currently looking for a cooling unit for the room. Tried running the house AC into the room but it did not handle the load. The room stays cool during most of the year but in the summer the cement porch above heats up in the sun and radiates heat into the room. The insulation helped some but the room stayed around 70 degrees. Ok for cigars, not ok for wine.

From the research I've completed it looks like a split A/C unit is the way to go. This has the cooling unit in the room and the heat exchanger outside. A portable unit looked promising but after reading a few manuals I discovered the exhaust had to be 6 feet or less. That will not work with the room outside being finished.

If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.


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## ElkTwin (Aug 14, 2004)

What kind of temperature swings did you get from the heating of the cement above? If the temp moved more than a few degrees during the day you probably need to readdress the insulation before you worry about a chiller. I recommend a minimum of R-33 in the ceiling and R-20 in the walls. And don't forget the floor. A cement floor will need at least R-20 to prevent heat seepage. Keeping a room cool is not the big issue for wine - it's the temperature stability. Every time your room moves a degree or two in temperature the expansion and contraction of the contents of the bottle will force oxygen through the corks hastening the decline of your wine.

I'll also reiterate, if you are going to chill the room to store wine, you are definitely going to want a vapor barrier on both sides of the insulation. That's because condensation will form anywhere there is a significant temperature gradient and you don't want that occurring inside your wall.

The units from Koolspace and Breezeaire are fine units and if you have insulated correctly you won't need a split system to cool your small room. Mount a unit next to the door exhausting into the hallway and you'll be fine. It will make a little noise; the fans are audible, but it will sound like a large refrigerator not a Cessna.


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## Chris. (Oct 5, 2008)

Just read through all 14 pages. Amazing project. I cannot wait for the day when I can venture into projects like this! For now, I'll stick to cars, photography and cigars. Good luck and I hope it works out well for you! 

<---anxiously awaiting the finished product.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Finally finished with back shift! Spent the last couple of days getting back to normal hours.

The second coat of mud is applied. Looking pretty good for an amateur project. Here are some pics:







Hopefully I will apply the finish coat this weekend and then the fun begins! Have plenty of paint left over from construction of the house, so I will use one of those colors for the room.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Well things are going a little slower then expected, but the mudding is finally complete! 





There are a few rough spots that need to be smoothed out. The last time I did this I made a sander that works great.



The grid pattern takes off a lot of material quickly and does not make as much dust as sandpaper.



After the mud drys I will smooth everything out and then on to painting!


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## gary106334 (Sep 28, 2006)

Damn, I was beginning to think you gave up on this. It is starting to look good.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

gary106334 said:


> Damn, I was beginning to think you gave up on this. It is starting to look good.


:r Actually this is pretty fast for me, the last house we lived in it took me 3 years to finish the basement.


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## gary106334 (Sep 28, 2006)

ca21455 said:


> :r Actually this is pretty fast for me, the last house we lived in it took me 3 years to finish the basement.


You sound as bad as me. :r


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## Mr Mojo Risin (May 26, 2007)

ca21455 said:


> :r Actually this is pretty fast for me, the last house we lived in it took me 3 years to finish the basement.


Key word Finished. Looking great. Keep up the good work.
Brian..:ss


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## bonjing (Nov 27, 2008)

wow!!!! great work. how's it coming along?


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

bonjing said:


> wow!!!! great work. how's it coming along?


Work is on hold right now, have some other stuff that needs attention. Will hopefully get back on it in January.


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## Shervin (May 29, 2008)

:ssThis is one sweet project man, I'm gonna 
have a hard time falling asleep tonight:ss​


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Finally going to some time off next week! Just cleaned up from the mudding and will start painting. Will post some pictures when the painting is done.

Hoping to find some floor tile on sale after Christmas. Once the floor is in, I will move my cabinet into the room and start experimenting with humidification.

Will probably keep the cabinet in the room because I like having the drawers and will use the shelves for additional loose sticks. Looking forward to having shelves to store boxed cigars. My cabinet while not actually "full" I am having to store some boxes behind others. Not the worst of problems but still a pain.

Merry Christmas to everyone and have a healthy New Year!


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## TOB9595 (Apr 24, 2007)

You can't hurry life 
I am watching this closely. I REALLY NEED a walk in humi.

Nice work.
Tom


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## 19thHole (Dec 29, 2008)

I have to say, I am just catching up with this thread and it is awesome! From one Ohioan to another, I cannot wait to see the finished product! I am very envious of the space you will have. If you ever feel like having some folks over....:ss


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

The never ending project continues! Finally completed the painting.

Next step is to install the ceramic tile. Who knows how long that will take!


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## GilaByteBob (Jan 7, 2009)

This is one of the 1st threads that caught my eye when I found this place. It is really nice to see the progress you've made.

Nice choice of colors.

When you get done, want to come to my place and do it again? We'll have to dig a hole first, since I don't have a basement.......

Bob
:cb


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## piperman (Sep 8, 2005)

You ought to be very proud your doing a great job, maybe I will have to kick my daughter to the garage and convert her room, she should be out in about six years..:hmm:


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## duhman (Dec 3, 2007)

piperman said:


> You ought to be very proud your doing a great job, maybe I will have to kick my daughter to the garage and convert her room, she should be out in about six years..:hmm:


Ha! HAHAHAHA!:rotfl::biglaugh:
Don't start planning around that.


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## piperman (Sep 8, 2005)

duhman said:


> Ha! HAHAHAHA!:rotfl::biglaugh:
> Don't start planning around that.


Yes I know, now a days they seem to stay for ever. I was ready to move out at 16 left right after I graduated. Noticed we are the same age so you know where im coming from.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

GilaByteBob said:


> This is one of the 1st threads that caught my eye when I found this place. It is really nice to see the progress you've made.
> 
> Nice choice of colors.
> 
> ...


Thanks, it is actually a mixture of paints we had left over from painting the house after it was built.



piperman said:


> You ought to be very proud your doing a great job, maybe I will have to kick my daughter to the garage and convert her room, she should be out in about six years..:hmm:


Plenty of time to plan!


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## contract (Dec 1, 2008)

Any updates? This was an amazing project.


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Next step in the project is to put in the floor and woodwork. This is going to cost a few dollars and the budget right now will not suport.


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## Volker (Jun 12, 2009)

I would really like to see your project but none of the Photobucket pics show


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## Pre5to (Jun 25, 2009)

thats cause its old, old photos get deleted off photobucket, thus they don't show here, at least thats the conclusion i came to could be wrong


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## ca21455 (Jul 23, 2006)

Volker said:


> I would really like to see your project but none of the Photobucket pics show


I had some trouble with Photobucket and all the pictures got deleted. When I start the project back up I will post some pictures.


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